Conveyer feed mechanism



Dec. 29, 1953 G. L. HAGER CONVEYER FEED MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9, 1948 f g ENTOR. BY v 130V Dec. 29, 1953 G. L. HAG ER 2,664,189

CONVEYER FEED MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f \QVZVENTOR. BY 2 I ATTYS.

Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a conveyer and more particularly to a screw type conveyer disposed in a tube for conveying coal and the like from a stock pile to another station from which the coal is fed to a furnace or used as desired.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a conveyer of the above character with driving means for the screw which permits floating of the screw throughout its entire length in the tube as required during the advance of coal through the tube and which also supports the screw in the housing.

Another ob'iect of the invention is to provide a conveyer of the above character with means for conveying pieces of coal, foreign bodies, or the like that are too large to pass through the tube to a position along the tube where they ma be readily removed by an operator.

another obiect of the invention is to provide a novel shear pin connection between the driving means and the screw wherein the respective parts are retained in an assembled relation in the event or the shearing of the in.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a conveyer of the above character which is simple in construction, which is rugged and sturdy in operation, which has a relatively long life, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the inventon will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevational view of a conveyer embodying the invention; 7

I Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 1 having cutaway portions to expose internal parts of the conveyer; t

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the conveyer showing a universal joint and a shear pin connection utilized in the conveyer; v

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the tube; and

Fig. '7 is a side view of Fig. 6.

7 Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a conveyer conveying coal from a stockpile H to' hoppers i2 mounted on conventional stoke'rs' l3 for feeding coal to furnace's' |4 In general, the conveyer comprises at'ube' i6 housing a screw I! mounted in the tube for rotation. The screw co'acts with the walls of the tubexto advance the" coal from one station to another station. At its upper end the conveyer is provided with chutes l8 and It for conducting the coal to the hoppers l2 after it has been discharged from the tube l6.

The tube H5 in the resent instance is provided at one end with a coal receiving opening 2| formed by removing an upper portion of the tube. The extreme end of the tube adiaoent the open ing 2! is also open and some coal enters the tube through this opening. At its opposite end the tube 56 is provided with a coal discharge opening 22, see Fig. 2, formed by removing the lower portion 01" the tube |6 inwardly from the extreme upper end thereof. I e I One phase of the invention is concerned with the provision of means wherein foreign bodies, pieces of coal and the like, too large to enter the tube it through the coal receiving opening 2| are conveyed away froin the opening and are advanced to a position along the tube |6 wherein they may be removed from the conveyer. For this purpose a forward edge 23, see Figs; 6 and 7, of the coal receiving opening 2| is pro-shaped and coordinated with respect to the convolutions of the screw I! so that foreign bodies and the like are conveyed along the top of the tube by cooperative action of the screw and the edge 23 of the opening, from the coal receiving opening 2| to an elongated slot 2 3 formed on the upper surface of the tube I6 and extending a substantial distance therealong from the coal receiving opening. To effect the foregoing, the forward edge 23 of the coal receiving opening 2| is smoothly curved upwardly and inwardly from a side 25 of the opening 2| to intersect a side 26, defining the elongated slot 24. With this construction it is to be understood that there are no sharp corners or the like between the coal receiving opening 2| and the slot 24, and since the forward edge 23 is coordinated with respect to the convolutions of the screw 11, any force, applied by the screw to an object will force the latter up along the forward edge 23 so as not to become wedged between the screw and the tube IS. The critical angle (the angle at which material is permitted to slide and not become wedged) shown in Fig. 6 as angle A measured between a con,- volution of the screw and the edge 23, depends on the material to be conveyed and consequently may be determined experimentally in any given case. For the embodiment of the: invention shown in this instance theangle A should notbe less than approximately 35 degrees. As shown in Fig. 7, a side 25a of the coal receiving opening is slightly lower than the side 25 to increase the size of the opening 2|. The forward edge 23a of the opening is also preferably curved upwardly and inwardly so as to provide a smooth edge between the coal receiving opening and an edge 26a of the slot 24. The curving of the edge 23a should be such only as to remove any sharp shoulders. With this construction, when foreign bodies are so large that only a portion of the body is received in the coal receiving opening, it is to be understood that the coaction of the screw with the edges 23 and 23a tend to advance the body to the slot but the upward and inward curving of the forward edges 23 and 23a provide an unstable base for the body and so that it falls to one side or the other of the tube. If the tube is properly positioned in the coal pile, the body falls from the tube at a position whereby it rolls down along the outside surface of the pile away from the coal receiving opening 2|.

The screw IT in this embodiment of the invention is driven by a motor 21 connected to the screw I! through a speed reducing gear train disposed in a gear box 28. The motor 2! is mounted on a platform 29. Preferably the latter is formed by angle irons 3| (see Fig. 3) mounted on opposite sides of the upper part of the tube 6 adjacent the discharge opening end thereof. The gear box 28 is mounted on a bracket 32 rigidly secured to the platform 29. Herein the bracket 32 is fashioned from angle irons 33 integral with the respective angle irons 3| and disposed in another plane substantially parallel with that of the platform 29. The bracket 32 is mounted at the discharge end 22 of the tube I6 in such a manner that a drive shaft 34 extending outwardly from the gear box 28 is in substantial axial alinement with a shaft 35 integral with and forming the driving end of the screw 1.

Power from the motor 21 is transmitted to the gear box 28 by a V-belt connection 36 between a motor pulley 31 and a gear box pulley 38. To facilitate maintaining the proper tension between the respective pulleys, the motor 21 is mounted so that the distance between the pulleys can be readily adjusted. To this end one side of a base 39 of the motor 21 is pivotally mounted on the platform 29 as by a hinge connection 4|. At the opposite side of the base 39 is an adjusting screw 42 extending through a threaded recess in the base 39 in a conventional manner to have its end 43 abut against the platform 29. Thus, by merely adjusting the screw 42 to raise or lower the free side of the motor about the hinged side the desired tension in the V-belt connection may be obtained. A look or jam nut 44 disposed on the screw 42 is arranged to be screwed against the base 39 after the base has been elevated to a desired adjusted position.

Another phase of my invention is concerned with mounting and supporting the screw I! in the tube I6 so that the screw has floating movement in the tube throughout its length between the coal receiving opening 2| and the coal discharge opening 22 during the advance of coal through the tube. To effect the aforegoing, in the present instance, an end 46 of the screw l1 adjacent the coal receiving opening 2| is freely disposed in the tube l6 so that in the normal position of the parts of the conveyer the end 46 floats in the tube I6. At its opposite end the screw I1 is connected to the drive shaft 34 by a Hookes type universal joint 4'! and a shear pin connection 48. Preferably the universal joint comprises two yoke members 49 and see Figs. 4 and 5, having spaced projecting portions 52 and 53, respectively, pivotally interconnected at diametrically opposite sides of a spider 54 disposed between the yokes. The joint 4'! is connected to the shaft 35 by sliding a sleeve 56 of the yoke 5| over the end of the shaft 35 and securing the sleeve in place by bolts 55 extending through the sleeve 56 and the shaft The aforegoing joint construction permits floating movement of the screw throughout its length as required by the size of the pieces of coal being advanced through the tube. Experience shows that this construction has an extremely long life due to the fact that the wearing of parts is minimized with this floating mounting.

The shear pin connection 48 in the present embodiment of the invention provides a structure such that when a pin 51 has been sheared the universal joint 41 and the screw I! do not become axially displaced with respect to the driving shaft 34 although the driving connection between the shaft 34 and the screw I"! has been made ineffective. For this purpose a disc 58 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 5), having a central opening 68 for receiving the drive shaft 34 is spaced axially from the end of a shaft portion 59 of the yoke 49 by diametrically spaced brackets 6| secured to the shaft portion 59 and the outer periphery of the disc 58 to provide a rigid structure. Disposed between the end of the shaft portion 59 and the disc 58 is a collar 62 mounted on the end of the shaft 34 by annularly spaced set screws 63 extending through the collar 62 and abutting against the shaft 34. It is to be understood that the collar 62, when in the assembled relation, is keyed to the shaft by a key 65 and turns with the driving shaft 34. The shear pin 5'! extends through an opening 64 formed in one of the brackets 6| and fits into a radially extending opening 66 formed in the collar 62. It is to be understood also that the pin 51 forms the sole driving connection between the shaft 34 and the yoke 49. In normal operation the tube l6 is inclined as shown in Figure 1. As a consequence the force of gravity tends to pull the screw |7 downwardly. With the above construction, even though the pin 51 should shear, due to an excessive overload or the like, the screw l1 and the shaft 35 will be maintained in their assembled position and will not be displaced relative to the shaft 34. This is because the collar 62 engages the disc 58 and prevents axial displacement of the parts and the side walls of the opening in the disc 58 engage the shaft 34 and prevent appreciable transaxial displacement of the respective parts. It is to be understood that this construction permits of ready assembly and disassembly. Thus, to assemble the parts in a driving relation, it is only necessary to position the collar 62 between the disc 58 and the end of the shaft portion 53 and move the respective parts so that the drive shaft 34 projects through the disc 58 to a position where the collar 62 can be secured in position by the set screws 63. The pin 5'! is then placed in position and the driving connection between the gear box 28 and the screw I1 is established.

The chutes l8 and I9 are disposed on the conveyer to receive the coal as it is discharged from the tube l6 through the discharge opening 22. To this end a suitable tube 6! is disposed immediately under the discharge opening 22 so that the opening in the tube 61 is in registry with the discharge opening. At its upper end the tube 61 is secured to the angle irons 3| as by bolts 68. At its lower end (see Fig. 3) an upper connection adverse 69- of a v-connection 11* is pivota-ily suooorted' thereon. Each of the" pivotal: connections: formed by a; bolt l2' ext'eiidiiig through the walls of both the tube 61 andthe upper connection- 89: A collar" 73 is disposed between -tne head: of the bolt and the wall of the tube-61L The diameter of the collar" is slightly less than-that of the open ng in the wall of th'e upperpart ta of the connection through which-the collar extends; aridthe collar is' thickerthan' the wall: of the upper part 69. Thus the Y-connection--'l'lis free to rotate aboutthe bolt 12 and the collar lii The head ofthe bolt 'lz islarger than the opening iri the wall of the upperp'art 89 andthe nut screwed onthe end'ofthe boltis larger tha'mthediameter of the hole in the tube 61 so that the respective parts are retained in an assembled relations The chutes l8 and I9 herein are in the form of channel members having a U-shaped crosssectionand are pivot'allyconnected on the respective depending connections 14 and 16 of the Y- connection H. The pivotal connections for this purpose" are constructed in" a manner similar to that described heretofore. Y n

Means is' provided for deflecting. the coal being discharged into'the upper" connection 691 to either or both connections" and 16. For this pu'r pose a vane type valve 11 mounted on" the interior of the Y-connection H is utilized. The vane' is mounted on a shaft 18 rotatably supported on opposite sides of the Y-connectio'n" 1|. Rotation of the'shaft lsiseffecte'dbya handle leim'ounted on an external end of the" shaft. As shown in Fig. 3, by varying the position of the vane 1T the coal being discharged from the tube can be" defiected to either chute l8and l9 as shown" by the dotted lines or to both chutes simultaneously when the vane is in the middleposit on as shown. A bolt head 8| (see-Fig. 2) projectingthrough a'n opening at one end of the handle 19 is arranged to abut against theside" of the" Y-conne'ction' H for maintaining the vane H in the desired a'l'djusted posit on. To insure that the bolthe'ad BI is urged into frictional engagement withtheY- connection it a spring 82' is' interposed between the head 81 and the handle' 1 9i The elevation of the-chutes I Band l" 8c'an" be adjusted to suit any individual hopper installation. In th s embodiment of the invention the chute elevation is adjusted by a chain 83 threaded through a pulley 84 secured to a position overlying the chutes on the platform 29 and having one end secured to a rib 86 mounted on the chutes intermediate their ends. Thus, by simply reeling in or paying out the chain 83, the elevation can be varied.

Another phase of the invention is concerned with means for supporting the conveyer so that the latter is readily usable to convey coal from a. coal pile to a desired station. In some installations a single conveyer may be utilized to fill any one of a battery of hoppers l2 alined in a row. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide for free movement of the conveyer to any desired position so that any desired hopper in the battery can be filled. In this embodiment of the invention the conveyor is shown as being suspended from one end of a rod 81 pivotally connected at its opposite end to a roller unit 88 mounted on a rail 89 secured to overhead rafters Si or the like and in substantial parallel relation with the hoppers. The pivotal connection between the rod 81 and the roller unit 88 may be of any conventional type that permits swinging of the rod 81 in all directions with respect to the ram: wmhtnnmnstmenm aristo.- be? thktitheilconveye'cl'mayxbe positioned. many-poiiitzalongzthami 85; and the pivotal oonnectiom permitszthestube I6 to be; swung far *1 enough-2' tononessldz to: permit the 'coal receiving coal ithe'refmnn The lower e'nd of the rod is formed: as? a neck 93 which" is shaped to Y interfit with? were Sds formed: on": a collar- '96 encirclin the tube intermediate its: ends; The collar 96 is i positioned so that thei coa -l receiving opening: 2 I i disposed int the v stockpile and the discharge opening: 2-2: elevated-= to a: position overlying the respective hoppers: when im the suspendedp'OSIUiOTH- I claini i l t conveyer: comprising: a" screw having a shiifii 'at 'one' eiTd, a;-tube for housing s'aid screw, said tube beingl formed with. an opening in its upper Silfifaoe adjacent: one end" and with an elbngated narrow slot along: the top of the tube intermediate its ends, at least one of the edges or the": tube defining sai'd' opening adjacent one end' extending upwardly and transversely of the axis of the tube inward in a smooth curve to merge smoothly with arr-edge defining said elongated 'slot, said-upwardly--'extending edge extendi'ng" transversely of" the axisof the tube inward the tube and the direction of the convolutions of the-screw"at-the top 'of the screw, driving means forr'otating said. screw shaft, and auniversaljoint dispos'ed betweensaid driving means and said shaft supporting said shaft within the tube" and permitting displacement of? said screw transversely of the .a'xis'of zthe tube;

2. A. conveyerg'. comprising: a rotary." screw, and an upward-1y inclined: tube: surrounding said screw,tsaid tubehaving-awideopening along its uppersurface adjacent its lower end andv an elongated. narrow slot along: its upper surface intermediate" its ends, at least one of the edges of the tube defining said openingat one end extending upwardly and transversely of the axis of the tube inward in a smooth curve to merge smoothly with an edge defining said elongated slot, said upwardly extending edge extending transversely of the axis of the tube inward angularly between the direction of the axis of the tube and the direction of the convolutions of the screw at the top of the screw, whereby oversized objects are conveyed from the wide opening upwardly along said smoothly curved edge to said narrow elongated slot.

3. A conveyer comprising an upwardly inclined tube having a material receivingopening at its lower end and a material discharge opening at its upper end, a motor, a shaft driven by said motor extending in substantial axial alinement with said tube at the upper end thereof, a universal joint connected to said driven shaft, and a screw received loosely in said tube and extending axially therethrough, said screw having a free lower end and being connected at its upper end to said universal joint and suspended thereat solely from said universal joint for limited movement Within said tube transversely of the axis of said tube during the advance of material upwardly along the screw within the tube.

4. A conveyer comprising an upwardly inclined tube having a material receiving opening at its lower end and a material discharge opening at its upper end, a motor, a shaft driven by said motor extending in downwardly inclined fashion in substantial axial alinement with the upper end of said tube, a collar secured to said shaft, a connection bracket extending downwardly from said collar and having a portion overlying the top of said collar, a shear pin interconnecting said collar and said connection bracket to impart the drive from said shaft to said connection bracket, a universal joint carried by said connection bracket, and a screw received loosely in said tube and extending axially therethrough, said screw having a free lower end and being connected at its upper end to said universal joint and suspended thereat solely from said universal joint for limited movement within said tube transversely of the axis of said tube during the advance of material upwardly along the screw within the tube, said overlying portion of the connection bracket upon breakage of the shear pin engaging said collar to retain the assembly of the connection bracket, universal joint and screw against displacement downwardly in the tube.

5. A conveyor comprising a screw having a shaft at one end, a tube for housing said screw having an upwardly extending opening at one end and an opening at the opposite end, said tube being formed with an elongated slot along the top of the tube in communication with the upwardly extending opening, one of the edges of the tube between the upwardly extending opening and the elongated slot being smoothly curved and extending angularly between the axial direction of the tube and the direction of the convolutions of the screw at the top of the screw whereby objects too large to pass through the tube are conveyed to a position away from the upwardly extending opening wherein they are readily removable from the tube, driving means for said screw mounted on said tube and having a drive shaft in substantial axial alinement with said screw shaft, and a universal joint disposed between said shafts for effecting a driving connection between said shafts and permitting movement of said screw in said tube transversely of the axis of said tube.

- 6. A conveyor comprising an upwardly inclined tube having a material receiving opening at its lower end and a material discharge opening at its upper end, a motor and a shaft driven by said motor positioned adjacent the upper end of said tube, a universal joint connected to said shaft, a screw loosely received in said tube and extending axially therethrough, said screw having a free end at said lower end of said tube and being connected at its upper end to said universal joint and suspended thereat solely from said universal joint for limited movement within said tube transversely of the axis of said tube during the advance of material upwardly along the screw within the tube.

GEORGE L. HAGER.

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